Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has successfully secured approximately PHP56.3 billion in potential investments from prominent Japanese companies during his state visit to Japan. These investments, which were finalized during separate meetings held on Thursday, are set to bolster the Philippines' shipbuilding, electronics manufacturing, and green maritime industries.

According to Philippines News Agency, the planned projects are expected to create around 10,300 direct and indirect jobs across the nation. President Marcos engaged with Tsuneishi Group Corp. executives to discuss expanding their shipbuilding facilities in the Philippines, a move poised to elevate the country to the fourth-largest shipbuilding nation globally, following China, Japan, and South Korea.

Additionally, President Marcos met with Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. representatives, who proposed expanding their operations to manufacture advanced heat sink modules. This initiative will support global electronics and digital infrastructure applications, particularly within the Laguna Technopark, to cater to the growing demand for heat sinks used in data center processing units.

In a separate meeting, Sumitomo Electric Industries executives outlined a PHP4.3 billion expansion project in advanced electronics manufacturing. This includes constructing a new facility in Cabuyao, Laguna, through their Philippine unit, First Sumiden Circuits, Inc. The expansion aims to enhance the Philippines' role in global supply chains for electric vehicles and AI-related electronics.

Executives from MinebeaMitsumi, Inc. also presented their ongoing and upcoming investments in semiconductor back-end manufacturing and battery-related components for data centers. These projects, particularly in Cebu, will support smartphone camera actuator production and analog semiconductor operations, catering to the rising demand driven by AI technologies.